


Trading Favors

by kirasha, Titti



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Challenge Response, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-08
Updated: 2013-02-08
Packaged: 2017-11-28 13:53:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,797
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/675129
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kirasha/pseuds/kirasha, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Titti/pseuds/Titti
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hook needs information and knows just the man to get it from, but the Hatter isn't quite what he expected.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Trading Favors

At first, when he landed on his ass on the deck, Jefferson wondered if the hat had sent him through the wrong door. Wouldn't be the first time. Damn thing had a mind of its own some days and those doors didn't always look the exact same as they had the last time he used them. Of course, sometimes it wasn't the door that was wrong, but the world he landed in had changed. Magic had ways of doing that. Kept things exciting.

When he stopped to think about it, it wouldn't be the first time the door had landed him on his ass, either. There had been that time when the stairs he thought were on the other side had been replaced with a ladder and he was stepping onto the wrong edge of the hayloft.

"Now ain't this a fancy hat?" The dirty little man pawing at his most prized possession took Jefferson's full attention.

"That's mine, if you don't mi-" Jefferson looked down in shock when he realized his hands were bound behind his back.

Not the hat, then. Definitely not the hat.

Now he remembered stopping in that tavern on the way back from delivering a couple weird looking baubles to Rumpelstiltskin. The man had the strangest fetishes, but he paid well. And Jefferson had been feeling peckish. There'd been a few drinks, a friendly wench.

And damn, what had she put in that ale? He'd have to see about getting some; it would come in handy in a tight spot.

Like this one.

Oh, right.

He glanced around at the circle of men with varying expressions of danger, contempt, and cruelty and swallowed. "Now, I'm sure we can come to some sort of agreement. Whatever you gents think, I'm certain it's all a misunderstanding."

Hook was on a mission. He was going to find Rumpelstiltskin and kill him and, if he had to go through every one of his friends' bodies, he would do so. This man wasn't the first one that they had found. He was the only one still breathing, but not for long unless Hook got what he needed. "There is no misunderstanding, Hatter; but I'll give you a chance to prove me wrong." He nodded toward his crew. "Bring him down to my cabin. Make sure he's nicely tied."

He smirked as he watched one of his pirates manhandle the man. A little fear loosened the tongue. The problem until now had been that their captives were more afraid of Rumpelstiltskin than death. Hook planned to make him wait, wonder what would happen, and perhaps the fear would be enough to convince him that a deal was in his best interest.

 

Checking his watch to see that it had been enough, but not too much because boredom would be just as damaging as lack of fear, Hook went down to his cabin. The Hatter was sitting on the floor, hands behind his back and tied to the bedpost. "You wanted to reach an agreement; this is your chance." He grabbed a chair and straddled it, resting his arms on the back as he stared at his prisoner. "You can agree to help me find and kill a person I seek and I agree not to kill you. It's a fair agreement."

"You want me to help you kill someone?" Jefferson smirked. "I'm really more of a lover than a fighter."

It was difficult to have the sorts of travels and adventures he did without amassing a few enemies. And, Jefferson was very good at what he did. So, he had many enemies. But, he couldn't think of a single one with ties to a pirate crew. Nor any that would think to hire one for the express purpose.

And he'd spent the time he'd been left alone in the Captain's cabin thinking many thoughts, indeed. Not that he had much choice. But time enough to think was also time enough to retrace his steps -- and, really, there were a lot of steps to retrace if he was to go over every trip he'd made until he found the one that had landed him here. He'd only gotten back as far as that nasty run-in with the girls who had the things with the...better not think of that.

But, now the Captain was here bargaining and if there was anything Jefferson was good at, it was negotiation.

"I'm afraid you have me at disadvantage. You know who I am." His eyes landed purposefully on the hook that stood in for the man's hand. "While I can only guess at who offers such generous hospitality."

Hook raised his arm. "You can call me Captain Hook." He stared at Jefferson for a moment. He'd heard about him and his deals, he knew how close the man was with his enemy. What he didn't know was how good looking the man was. Maybe they could make this pleasurable as well as rewarding.

"Lovers tell each other all sorts of things." He got up from the chair and crouched in front of his prisoner. He ran his fingers over Jefferson's jaw before lifting his chin. "I don't need you to do any killing. I need you to tell me where to find a certain person. He'll never have to know where I got my information. Not that it matters, because I plan to kill him. It's pretty simple: information for your life." He moved his fingers down Jefferson's neck, but too many layers of clothes stopped him from going far. "Of course, if you want your hat back, we can negotiate a different kind of payment." He leaned closer and bit his earlobe. "And if you think of using this as an excuse to run, think again. You'll be killed the moment you try to leave this cabin... possibly after some rather unpleasant sex. Women are supposedly bad luck on a ship and men have needs."

"Hook, then." The source of the moniker had been a bit of a giveaway. But, Jefferson always liked to confirm his information, particularly when dealing with those whose reputations preceded them in certain circles. Nothing like false assumptions to come back and bite a man in the ass.

Although, from the good Captain's insinuations and flat out threats, maybe pirates were trying to give those assumptions a run for their gold.

"Lovers also lie, cheat, and steal when it suits them," Jefferson murmured, lifting his chin to take advantage of Hook's proximity. "You've kidnapped me, stolen my property, threatened both my life and my virtue. It seems much more likely you'll kill me as soon as you have the information you seek, in which case, far nobler to die protecting whatever hapless man you've marked for death than to betray an unknown man and die anyway. Unless..."

Trapped as he was between a Hook and hard place, Jefferson pulled his head back as far as he could without hitting it too hard on the bedpost behind him. His lips quirked in a tiny smile as he stared at Hook. "Unless, you're willing to give me some assurances you are a man of your word, Captain."

"Lovers do and so do pirates, but I'm not promising eternal love, am I?" he answered, with a smirk. "And the man in question is hardly a poor victim, or even a man." Rumpelstiltskin was a monster who'd stopped being human long ago. "But I like you." He liked the Hatter's information and his courage, the pretty face was an added bonus. "What kind of assurances would you like? I could give you my word, but we've been around for too long to believe it enough. We're my boat and every man around will obey me without question, so what do you want?"

Jefferson laughed. "Of course. Lovers aren't soulmates. Eternal love comes with a price like everything else."

He needed to set his own price. Everything had a price. Every _one_ had a price. Just a matter of exchanging one for the other in an equally beneficial arrangement for all involved. A game of endless entertainment with the right players.

And the gracious Captain Hook might just be in the game.

"I find the best business arrangements arise out of a mutual history of satisfaction. Given our limited familiarity, why don't we start small and build up to the main event, shall we? Release me and allow me unrestricted access to wander your ship for an hour, unmolested by any of your men. When I return, we can discuss the lesser bargain in the return of my hat. And, if that goes well, we can address the real business of this man who is neither victim nor a man."

Hook waited to hear the terms, which wasn't easy, not when the Hatter was laughing at the idea of soulmates and eternal love. "Wrong. Eternal love will only die if someone cuts it short, someone who will die just as painfully," he said, coldly.

The end of the hook ghosted over the Hatter's cheek. "You amuse me, but not that much. I've killed plenty of men _and_ women before you in my quest. I have no problem killing you right now. Fucking would be a nice way to pass the time until I see that your information is correct, but it's by no mean a deal breaker. Let's make another deal. You will tell me and I won't make you suffer painfully before killing you. We can fuck or not. You'll get your hat when you leave because I have no issues with you, only with the company you keep. Now, I'm going to check on my ship and, when I come back, you'd better have made up your mind, or I will not be as patient." Standing up, he pressed the hook against the Hatter's cheek leaving a red mark without breaking skin. "See you soon, Hatter."

 

"I used to want to run away to be a pirate as a boy, have adventures. But, now that I know how boring it is to sit around on a ship all day, I think I've changed my mind."

Jefferson was sitting uncomfortably on the floor where Hook had left him, watching for the pirate's return. This was the problem with people who had grand quests and obsessions. They lost all sense of fun and adventure. It became all about death and revenge and just got boring.

Not to mention they took harmless jests in all the wrong ways.

Thinking had merely convinced him perhaps Hook wasn't a player after all. Jefferson had thought he might be from the teasing and flirting earlier. But then the insane quest took over. And people thought Jefferson a bit mad.

Pity, really. The Captain was pretty, really.

Wait. Sidetracked. Where was he? 

Oh, right.

Bored.

"It's not going to work, you know." Jefferson might as well let him down easy. No point in dealing when he knew from the start it was a deal gone bad.

"Pirates are out there working hard. You don't seem the type to like work. It's so much easier to take from others, use magic to make those who don't have it suffer. You wouldn't make a good pirate," Hook said as he sat down again, the chair barely out of reach of the Hatter. "What exactly isn't going to work?" 

"Trying to kill him." Jefferson was careful not to use Rumpelstiltskin's name. Even here, it would draw the imp. Names were power. And power was not something you wasted when you had it.

Staring steadily at Hook, he flexed his wrists behind his back, trying to keep the circulation going. Never trust a pirate to think of a man's comfort or show any civility in dealings. That was probably his lesson to be learned on this trip.

"You can't kill him. Not with that." He nodded to the sword at Hook's side. "No mere sword can kill the Dark One. You've spent how many years in Neverland? Never aging because of that world's magic? He needs no one else's magic to do the same. While you scheme, he grows stronger. It doesn't matter if I tell you where he lives. He's grown so powerful now he has no need of hiding. Anyone in any tavern could have told you the road your men picked me up on led straight to his castle."

"And yet, people have died instead of saying exactly what you just told me." Hook pushed the chair aside, suddenly interested in what the man had to say. He ran the hook down Jefferson's arm, and then cut the rope. He stood up and offered the man his hand. "I always reward people who tell me what I need to know," he said, eyes locked with Jefferson's. "If not with a sword, how would I kill him? If you have the means, you'll be highly rewarded." 

"As you said, I keep a certain company," Jefferson replied, hesitating only a moment before accepting the hand up. His legs were stiff, his fingers numb, but the reckless smirk never wavered. "I travel. I hear things. No one else in any of those taverns could have told you your own name...Killian Jones."

Rubbing his hand idly around his wrists he raised an eyebrow. "If I had that information, I'd hardly be alive to tell you. Those who died rather than tell you his whereabouts are the weak and foolish who fear him without understanding him. While I...have an understanding with him. But, I'm not blind enough to mistake a mutually beneficial business relationship as being enough to protect me if he thought I'd learned that particular secret. As I said before, I'm more of a lover than a fighter. I'll leave revenge game to the both of you."

And he knew better than to go up against a magic user when he had no magic of his own outside the ability to use the hat. Jefferson was slick, not stupid.

"Now, about my hat?"

He hadn't gotten what he wanted, but Hook was a man of his word. Sometimes. Mainly when it benefited him. And, right now a dead Mad Hatter held no benefits, while a live one might be of help. "You don't mind if I verify the information. In the meantime, we can discuss your hat over dinner. You must be hungry and it's the least I can do."

He walked out of his cabin, giving the guard posted outside orders to check if the castle was where Jefferson said it was as well as getting them dinner. He returned after only a few minutes. "Would you like to stay here or see the ship while our supper is prepared? The cabin might prove a little more.... entertaining, but that won't change our agreement in any way."

"I don't do well with boredom." The twinkle was back in Jefferson's eye upon hearing the options. "Entertainment _would_ keep me from too much mischief onboard your ship, I suppose. Wouldn't want to force you to tie me back up again." He always had appreciated a good negotiation. And pleasant relations with the man holding his hat could always benefit both parties.

"Force me? I find that tying people up _can_ be fun. For both parties." Now that business was out of the way, Hook had no problem enjoying the rest of night. "There seems to be a glitch in your idea. You wear too many clothes with too many buttons." Hook started unbuttoning Jefferson's vest, while he raised the hook. "I might need a hand or you'll be bored before I got halfway done." He might take pride in how he dressed, but his clothes were practical as well as stylish - for a pirate. 

Letting go of the buttons, he pulled on the string of his shirt's collar. The smirk on his face turned almost daring for an instant as he wrapped his arm around Jefferson and kissed him. The pirate life was a lonely one, especially when you were the captain. But, when you had a willing body, you took advantage and Hook planned to do just that. "Take off your clothes or I'll rip them off," he growled in Jefferson's ear, before stepping back to take off his own clothes and sword.

Whoever said not to mix business with pleasure had clearly never understood how business could be a pleasure.

Jefferson shivered and it wasn't with apprehension.

Taking up the challenge in Hook's eyes, Jefferson smiled with feigned innocence as he slipped his arms out of his jacket to let it pool on the floor in a dark stain of leather. Then he unbuttoned his vest and shirt, but paused as he looked up to meet Hook's gaze once more.

Stepping backward until his back was once again up against the bedpost, Jefferson spread his hands in mock surrender and smirked. "I have another set in my hat."

Hook laughed. "You don't waste time opening all those buttons and then rip your clothes off." He stepped closer and pressed his body against Jefferson. "You're really mad, aren't you?" The words were whispered, but there was no judgment there.

"Am I?" Jefferson wondered aloud. "Maybe I just see the world differently."

Hook felt like he was going mad some days and not this kind of mad. "But, you do have another set," he said as he carefully reached for Jefferson's trousers and ripped them open, the fabric tearing as the hook slid down. His hand moved over Jefferson's chest and up his shoulder, pushing the shirt and vest off of his body and onto the floor.

He let his eyes wander over Jefferson's body. For someone who lived such dangerous life, his body was remarkably free of scars and marks. It was something rare in Wonderland where people lived too long and the evidence of it showed. "You truly are a lover." 

It was as much a compliment as he was going to get. Compliments were for lovely wenches that needed to be seduced. But Hook hadn't played that game in much too long, taking what he wanted, when he wanted. And, right now, he wanted to see this man beg. He turned Jefferson around and pushed him face first onto the mattress while he reached for his night table and into the jar he kept there.

Slick fingers pressed against hot skin and then breached Jefferson without much preamble, fucking him while Hook rocked against Jefferson's ass, his cock hardening as the smell of sweat and lust began to fill all around them. 

Jefferson pressed his face into the sheets, muffling the groans pulled from within as Hook's fingers plunged into him. From the first press of cold steel against his skin, hot breath on his face, while he had sat trussed up on the floor like a goose waiting to be stuffed, he'd been in a state of half-arousal.

Definitely mad.

The risk. The danger. The games of wit and intimidation and conquest. All more potent aphrodisiacs than pretty words and soft caresses.

And Hook had indulged them all.

Unknowingly, perhaps.

Another groan.

What was he-?

Thinking any thoughts at all, even mad and twisted ponderings, faded to unimportance in the wake of the pleasure-pain of being stretched open unceremoniously. His own fingers twisted into the sheets above his head, body stretching as his hips pressed in the opposite direction, back onto those fingers that could drive a man mad if he wasn't already there.

The hook slid over the side Jefferson's body, the tip leaving an angry red mark. The wrong movement and it would be a lot more than a mark. It didn't seem enough to make Jefferson stop moving, and that served to urge Hook on, wanting to possess this man completely, in only for a few minutes. He pulled out his fingers to coat his cock and then thrust inside with one, almost painful slide.

Hot and tight. 

So very tight.

Hook stilled to enjoy the sensation. His hand pressed against the back of Jefferson's back, holding him in place until he was ready to move, pulling out with a groan, before burying himself inside with a snap of his hips.

Burning.

Burning inside out.

The skin where the hook had passed tingled. His body burned where Hook's cock was stretching him further open. Hook's hand on his back, keeping him still, seemed to make the rest of him burn as Jefferson tried to push for more.

More feeling, less thinking.

More sweat sheening skin.

More skin.

Heat.

"What's holding you back, Captain?" he taunted lightly between one rough breath and another. "Where is your pirate's ruthlessness?"

"Utterly mad," Hook muttered under his breath. He didn't need the incentive, though. As the tight grip loosened, he began rocking faster, each thrust pushing him deeper into the burning heat. Too many nights spent alone made patience an impossibility. Instead he took what he needed, grunting with the effort.

It wasn't until he could feel getting closer that he reached for Jefferson's cock. Rough, calloused fingers closed around it, jerking him mercilessly as he pounded into the other man.

A babbling stream of whimpers and moans, whispered encouragements and taunts, fell passed Jefferson's lips once he submitted willfully to his ravishment at Hook's hand. The faster and deeper Hook pushed, the louder Jefferson became and the harder his attempts to rut shamelessly against the bed seeking his own relief.

_Not enough._

Not enough.

Until Hook took him in hand forcefully and Jefferson couldn't take much more. His back arching after only a few strokes, he cried out his pleasure as he came, pulsing over Hook's hand. He cried out until his voice was hoarse and body relaxed against the bed. Hook wasn't far behind, coming as the Hatter’s trembling body clamped around him.

Pulling out, Hook slid on the bed and lay down. "Make yourself comfortable. Food should be on its way. So should confirmation and when we get it, you can have your hat." He looked at Jefferson. "You can even have a ride and play pirate for a while. One day, you can return the favor."

 

Hook had dreamt of the moment that he'd find Rumpelstiltskin again. He never expected it to be in a land with no magic, or with Cora as his powerful ally. Those weren't the only surprises. There was one who might be dressed differently and had no hat, but was still the same man. Approaching him from behind in the dark of night, Hook whispered in his ear. "You owe me a favor."

"How about some entertainment before, Captain?" Jefferson asked with a smile on his face.

"I'm always up for some fun. Lead the way, Hatter."


End file.
